A new report has warned that Shetland’s fishing fleet faces escalating pressure from a growing number of large-scale offshore energy developments, raising concerns over sustainability and long-term food security.

The report, co-developed by the Shetland Fishermen’s Association (SFA) and Voar, highlights that planned wind farms and associated cabling could significantly restrict access to productive fishing grounds unless stronger safeguards are introduced.

The planned offshore wind footprint alone is equivalent to 38% of Shetland’s land area, with further space expected to be absorbed by transmission corridors.

The report stresses that although Shetland’s waters make up just 17% of the UK’s sea area, they produce around 33% of the national fish catch, meaning any reduction in access would have disproportionate consequences for both local and national seafood supply.

SFA executive officer Daniel Lawson said: “Shetland’s diverse, family-owned fishing fleet is being put in serious jeopardy by these projects. Government and energy industry leaders need to realise that skippers cannot just move somewhere else.”

He added that the scale of the proposed wind farms would “permanently exclude vessels from some of the most productive fishing grounds in the world.”

Lawson also warned that ownership of these energy projects “lies outwith Shetland,” risking economic benefits shifting from local communities to outside interests.

While stressing support for renewable energy, he noted that the transition “cannot come at the expense of the fishing industry – an industry that provides food security, skilled jobs, and one of the lowest carbon sources of protein in the world.”

The report calls for stricter siting rules, earlier consultation and fairer benefit-sharing to ensure both industries can coexist sustainably.